Black tea basics

Photo by Leah Klafczynski

Black tea has been a popular beverage for thousands of years. Originating from China, this tea spread to Europe and eventually, the rest of the world. Black tea is made from leaves plucked from the Camellia sinensis bush, but is unique due to its complex production. Here are some of the most popular types of black teas.

English breakfast Tea

English breakfast tea is a blend of many different types of black tea, such as Assam and Ceylon. Many types of teas are named for the region they originate from — Assam, India and Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. English breakfast tea earned its name because it was a tea enjoyed by the British during their morning meals. Traditionally, this blend of tea is paired with milk and sugar. Red Rose’s English Breakfast tea is a great start to any morning or afternoon tea time. Just pour about 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk into your tea after you let it steep (let the teabag soak in the water) to a desired strength. Add a few teaspoons of sugar to taste.

Earl Grey Tea

Earl Grey tea is a blend of black tea leaves, golden buds (a type of Chinese black tea leaves) and bergamot (a citrus fruit much like an orange). Another British favorite, Earl Grey tea is traditionally present in afternoon tea breaks. Earl Grey tea has undertones of citrus, so pairing it with lemon accentuates this taste. Fresh lemon is always preferred, but can be substituted with bottled lemon juice, such as Real Lemon. The lemon can be squeezed into the tea, or sliced and soaked in the tea. I prefer to slice a lemon into four or six slices, depending on its size, then squeeze one slice into some of Twinings of London’s Earl Grey tea to provide me stress relief.

Ceylon Black Tea/ Orange Pekoe Tea

Ceylon black tea gained popularity after British investors started tea cultivation in Sri Lanka. The founder of Lipton tea, Thomas Lipton, was one of these men who struck gold. A popular type of Ceylon black tea is Orange Pekoe tea. Lipton and Red Rose teas both have excellent Orange Pekoe blends. These teas can be drank in the different ways I’ve described because of their bright and strong flavors. Milk and sugar, lemon and even honey are all complementary additives to black teas.